The Highland Park Independent School district School Board voted to revise the policy concerning class ranking at Highland Park High School.
During the past year, a committee of Highland Park IDS parents, students, faculty members and administrators conducted an in-depth study of issues related to class rank.
Starting this fall with the senior class of 2010, only the top 10 percent of the senior class will be ranked. State law requires that the top 10 percent must be ranked for admissions consideration all Texas public universities.
The school board and Highland Park ISD administrators concluded that the practice of ranking all students puts those students who are not in the top 10 percent of the class at a disadvantage for college admissions.
The school board stated that the students at HPHS go on to pursue a degree at college and all students should receive close consideration from colleges and universities. Since the students are high performing scholastically, there is a large concentration of students with high grade point averages (GPA). The board cited two results of the current system.
Students with relatively high GPAs often do not have high numerical class ranks. For example, out of a recent class of 462, a student with a GPA of 3.29 on a 4.0 scale would be ranked 350th in the class, according to the study. This relatively low class rank could work against the student when his/her college application is being considered.
Small differences in GPA result in large differences in class rank. For example, a student in the same class of 462 with a GPA of 3.89 would rank 115th. Compared to the student mentioned earlier with a GPA of 3.29, that means a difference of .6 of a point in GPA would result in a difference of 235 places in class rank, according to the example cited in the study.
The school board said that college and universities usually prefer that class rank be listed on a student’s application, because it simplifies the process. If a class rank
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Bryce to be Grand Marshal for July Fourth Parade
Special to Park Cities News
The Rotary Club of Park Cities announced the selection of Dr. Cathy Bryce, former Superintendent of the Highland Park Independent School District as Grand Marshal of the Park Cities Fourth of July Parade.
Dr. Bryce’s remarkable educational career was solidly grounded in her conviction that all children deserve an outstanding education. Her range of service in rural and suburban districts across the state allowed her to see the broad challenges and opportunities facing school children today.
Dr. Bryce began her career 34 years ago as a choir and English teacher in Arapaho, Oklahoma.
She stands out as a leader in education, being named Texas Superintendent of the Year for the American Association of School Administrators in 2000. During her tenure in Highland Park ISD, she worked with the district staff, school board, children, parents, and community to increase the achievement levels in all areas to the highest performance the district had ever experienced. She will always be remembered for her constant support of the students and their numerous activities.
Dr. Bryce was the 2008 recipient of the Brownlee award from the Texas Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. The award “recognizes and honors a Texas ASCD member who has performed instructional, supervisory and curricular duties and responsibilities consistent with the purpose of the organization in an exemplary manner.” The Texas School Public Relations Association also named her the 2008 Key Communicator. The annual honor is given to a statewide leader whose proven communications skills have made a difference for public education. Today, as a highly respected retired superintendent, she continues to serve as an advocate for all of the students in the state’s public schools.
When asked to serve as Grand Marshal, Mrs. Bryce replied, “ This is such a humbling honor! I have been a member of the Rotary Club of Park Cities for several years, and I always
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It Almost Stopped
Park Cities Fourth of July Parade almost faded away
Published in
The Park Cities News
June 24, 1976
The Park Cities Fourth of July parade wouldn’t be the same without a parade. At least that is how Mary Katherine Maddox felts when the annual parade was about to be canceled in 1970. She decided to work with other Park Cities residents to try and save the event.
The Parade had been a project of the Park Cities Jaycees for several years when the group decided that they would devote their time to a Founder’s Day parade in the fall.
The July Fourth parade had been started as a civic and fundraising project in 1963. The Jaycees developed the idea of showing kids an old-fashioned parade in which they could participate.
The Jaycees also felt that the parade would bring Highland Park and University Park together in an atmosphere of community spirit.
Maddox became upset when a permit had not been issued for the annual parade in 1970. She and other citizens felt that if the Jaycees could see how important the parade was that they would be willing to continue sponsoring the event.
“I felt that if the parade fell through one year, that the Jaycees would take it back,” she said.
Flyers were stuffed into grocery sacks in the Park Cities area and individuals were encouraged to participate. The turnout for the 1970 parade was much larger than expected and Park Cities’ residents decided that it should remain as an important part of their Fourth of July celebration.
There was no music for the parade that year so speakers were placed around the bicycles to play recorded marching music.
Since 1970, the parade has grown rapidly. The Highland Park Village Shopping Center decorates for the annual event and merchants donate many of the awards given.
The Highland Park Middle School eighth grade band now plays in the parade each year, replacing the recorded music. Games have been added to the events at Goar Park following the parade.
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Nancy Egan named UP’s 2009 Citizen of the Year
Nancy Egan, who has served in various capacities with the Friends of the University Park Public Library (UPPL), has been named the City’s 2009 Citizen of the Year.
Actively involved since 1997 with the library’s development, Nancy currently serves on the library’s Board of Directors. In addition to previously serving as the Board’s president, in 2001 she founded the UP Book Bank, which evolved into the UPPL.
A resident of University Park for nearly 40 years, Nancy has also served as president of the Highland Park High School PTA, the Junior League Sustainers, the Junior League Garden Club Committee, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (Charles S. Taylor Chapter) and the Dallas Kappa Alpha Theta Alumnae. Nancy and her husband, Byron, a Dallas attorney, have three daughters and four grandchildren.
One of the residents who nominated Nancy for the award wrote in his submission letter, “Through the years, Nancy has been the go-to person for numerous organizations, and University Park is better for her work.” Saying that she is honored by this recognition, Nancy was quick to acknowledge those who work so hard to provide the amenities the community enjoys.
“The library has grown from bare rooms with books piled on boxes to a facility that is now fully electronic and professionally run. That is testament to what can be achieved with generous grants, funding from the City and ongoing work involving a dedicated team of volunteers.”
In appreciation for her service to the community, immediately following the annual Park Cities July 4 Parade, which she and family members will ride in, Nancy will receive a plaque from Mayor James “Blackie” Holmes during a brief ceremony at the Goar Park Gazebo.
The Citizen of the Year Award was initiated in 2005 by the City Council to heighten public awareness and appreciation for the many residents who work, often behind the scenes, to better the City’s quality of life.
The City acknowledges that while such residents ar
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4A Coaches rank Highland Park #3 in state
By Art Finley
For 50 seasons Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has been the go-to guide for what to expect come Friday nights all over the state. Once again, the Highland Park Scots are among the usual list of suspects according DCTF to make a serious run at a state title.
The Scots, coming off an 11-2 2008 campaign are ranked as the number-seven team in the DCTF State 4A preseason poll. The top spot belongs to Region II powerhouse Longview.
The Lobos come into the 2009 season after falling to Austin Lake Travis in the 4A Division I State Championship game last year, 48-23. Longview narrowly edged Waco Midway in a wild 43-42 overtime affair in the state quarterfinals. This came a week after Midway held off the Scots, 41-36, in the Area Round.
Enrollment numbers will virtually lock the Scots into the Division I (Big Schools) bracket. The Scots and the McKinney Lions look poised to play again in the Bi-District roun with the winner to face Dallas Carter or Kimball. Waco Midway, ranked number-eight, would likely loom in the third round.
That could set the stage for a HP-Longview war in the state 4A quarterfinals and perhaps an eventual rematch with Lake Travis, ranked fifth in the DCTF poll. Lake Travis edged HP in the 2007 state finals and will enter the 2009 season looking third-straight Division I state championship.
Texas Football also asked several questions of state 4A coaches, including a 2009 preseason poll. The 4A coach’s poll reflects the respect Randy Allen draws from his peers. Lake Travis (45) is the top-ranked 4A team according to the 4A coaches from across the state. Longview (18) is second and Highland Park (5) is third. The remainder of the coach’s top-10 includes: Everman (6), Cibolo Steele (5), Denton Guyer (3), Sulphur Springs, Dallas Carter (1), Dayton (1), and Aledo (1).
Highland Park will have the second enrollment number in 10-4A with 2,009 students. Carrollton Newman Smith is the top school with 2,084; however the Trojans are coming off a 2-8 season
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